Shipping bin structure



March 18, 1969 5, NAGLER 3,433,381

SHIPPING BIN STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 7, 1966 INVENTOR.

STANLEY E. NAGLEE BY 53 1 E C oil.

United States Patent s 3,433,381 SHIPPING BIN STRUCTURE Stanley E. Nagler, Carmichael, Calif. (1246 Cooper Drive, Manteca, Calif. 95336) Filed Dec. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 599,775 U.S. Cl. 217-69 Int. Cl. B65d 9/34 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a shipping bin structure and more particularly to a bin or container adapted to contain produce and the like for shipment.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a relatively inexpensive and convenient shipping bin of wood construction adapted for use in shipping fruits and vegetables.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shipping bin which is ruggedly constructed and which at the same time may be readily disassembled for shipping when empty. The present invention also provides a construction permitting a portion or portions of the bin to be readily replaced in the event of damage.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification and from the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a shipping bin built in ac cordance with the preferred form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines 22 of FIG. 1 and showing the manner in which the corner posts are secured to the sidewall panels.

FIG. 3 is a vertical elevation of one corner of the bin structure with the associated sidewall panels removed and showing the location of the bolt holes and the anchor recesses.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of one form of anchor.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines 55 of FIG. 1 and showing the means for securing the sidewall panels to the bottom.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through a corner post showing a modified form of the means for securing the post and base to the stringers.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a modified form of anchor.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a corner post showing a modified form of the means for securing the same to the sidewall panels.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view showing a modified arrangement of the sidewall panels.

In detail, and first with reference to FIG. 1, the invention comprises an upwardly opening container which is provided with a base or bottom 10, a first pair of opposite identical sidewall panels 11 and a second pair of identical sidewall panels 12. As seen in FIG. 1 the sidewall panels extend upwardly from the bottom along the side edges of the latter. The bottom 10 and sidewalls 11, 12 are preferably sheets of plywood about /s" thick.

At each of the four corners of the bin there is provided a corner post 14 which is triangular in cross section and is provided with a pair of perpendicularly disposed outer sides 15, 16 and a slantingly disposed inner side 17. It will be noted that the triangular shape of the corner posts 14 results in the fiat side 17 being directed inwardly toward the interior of the bin so that said flat side minimizes 3,433,381 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 any damage which otherwise might occur to the contents by sharp corners or projections. Post 14 is preferably one half of a four by four.

Outwardly of each of the four corners there is preferably provided an angle bar 19 the legs 20, 21 of which engage the outer sides of the sidewall panels 11, 12.

At spaced points along the length of the posts 14 the same are provided with bores 23 for receiving therein the shanks of bolts 24 (FIG. 2). As best seen in FIG. 3 the bores formed in the perpendicularly disposed sides 15, 16 of the posts 14 are in staggered relation so that bolts 24 do not interfere with each other. Each bore 23 cooperates with a relatively deep recess 25 which opens outw-ardly of the side of the post 14 that is perpendicular to the side containing the bore 23. Receiving within each recess 25 is a rectangular anchor 27, preferably formed of metal, and provided with a threaded hole 28 which is adapted to receive therein the threaded end of a the corresponding bolt 24. As best seen in FIG. 2 the sidewall panels 11, 12 are formed with holes 29 registering with holes 30 in legs 20, 21 of angle bar 19 so that said bolts 24 may be passed through the legs of the angle bar 19, through the sidewall panel 11 or 12 and along the length of bore 23 and into the threaded opening 28 in anchor 27. At this point it will be noted that at assembly it is merely necessary to insert anchors 27 in the recesses 25 after the latter have been accurately mortised and before the securement of the sidewall panels 11, 12 and the corner angles 19. It will be understood that the above noted recesses, bores and holes are preformed in a manner so that assembly of the various parts is facilitate. It will also be apparent that the angle bars 19 may all be identical insofar as the positioning of the holes 30 is concerned. Similarly corner post 14 may also be identical.

Bins of the type herein contemplated are generally raised from the supporting surface by means of a pair of parallel stringers to permit the fork of a lift truck to be inserted under the base of the bin. In the structure shown in FIG. 1 a pair of stringers 33, 34 extend along the opposite side edges of the base 10 that are under the sidewalls 12. Preferably the corner angles 19 extend below the base 10 to the bottom of the stringers 33, 34 so that said corner angles help to secure the stringers to the bottom 10 and to the sidewalls of the bin. The corner angles 19 are preferably secured to the stringers 33, 34 by means of bolts which extend into bores 37 in the stringers 33, 34. The ends of stringers 33, 34 are provided with recesses similar to recesses 25 above described for the purpose of receiving therein anchors 38.

In the event the sidewall panels 11, 12 are relatively long it is desirable to secure the bottom edges of the panels to the base 10 by means of angle clips 39 (FIG. 5). The angles 39 ma be relatively small and, if the sidewalls are formed of A thick plywood, the angles 39 may be 2" by 2" and thick. As seen in FIG. 5 the upstanding leg of angle 39 may be secured to sidewall panels 11, 12 by means of bolts 40 which are passed through suitable apertures in the leg of the angle and into T-nut 41 on the inner side of the sidewall. The lower leg of the angle 39 may be secured by means of a bolt 42 which passes through the base 10 and into anchor 45 received within a recess 46 formed in the stringer. The fact that the angle bar 39 and the T-nut 41 project slightly into the bin is not disadvantageous since these interferences are extremely close to the corners of the bin and therefore are not likely to come in contact with the contents.

The present invention contemplates the use of a cylindrical anchor 49 (FIG. 7) which is provided with a diametrally extending threaded hole 50 for receiving bolts such as bolts 24, 36 therethrough. When such a cylindrical anchor is employed it is not necessary to form a rectangular recess but the same result may be accomplished by boring a hole to receive the anchor 49. In such a case a line 51 or other indicia may be applied to the outer end of the anchor to permit proper alignment of hole 50.

Another modification of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 wherein the underside of the stringers 33, 34 are countersunk as at 52 to receive therein the heads of the bolts 53 extending upwardly through base and into corner post 14. In this case an anchor 54 may be received through one of the outer sides of post 14- Another modification of the invention is shown in FIG. 8 wherein corner posts 57 are employed similar to the above described corner posts 14 except that the corner posts 57 are each provided with a vertically extending groove of triangular cross section indicated at 58. Groove 58 is large enough to accommodate the nuts 59 of bolts 60. In this manner a simplified construction results. However, the modification of FIG. 8 is not desirable in the event the bin is employed for extremely fragile and delicate materials since the sharp edges of groove 58 and nuts 59 are likely to come in contact with the product.

The various similar parts of the above described preferred form of bin are not all identical since sidewalls 11 are shorter than sidewalls 12. However it is believed that the above described design gives optimum strength. In the event it is desired to make all similar parts identical, the sidewall panels may be arranged in a manner of sidewall panels 62 in FIG. 9 in which case it will be noted that all panels are identical and may be drilled in identical manner so as to simplify a replacement in the event it is desired to substitute a new panel for a damaged one.

It will be seen that the above described invention provides an extremely rugged shipping bin which has the advantage of readily replaceable parts and which may be readily knocked down to a flat condition for shipment of the empty bin after the contents have been removed. Since the parts are not held together by nails, lag screws or the like, frequent replacement of parts may be made without weakening the structure.

I claim:

1. In a shipping bin structure,

a generally rectangular base and two pairs of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from said base adjacent the side edges thereof to provide an upwardly opening container having right angle corners,

an elongated vertically extending post at the inner sides of each of said corners,

an elongated vertically extending angle bar at each of said corners with the legs of said bar in covering relation to the adjacent outer portions of said sidewalls and secured to the said base,

each of said posts being generally triangular in cross section and including a pair of perpendicularly disposed outer sides and a slantingly disposed inner side connecting said outer sides,

said post being provided with bores at right angles to said outer sides and opening outwardly thereof, complementary rigid screw threaded fastening elements on said post and said sidewalls respectively, the fastening elements on said sidewalls extending through said legs of said angle bars and through said sidewalls and along said bores and into threaded engagement with the fastening elements on said post,

said fastening elements on said post being recessed within said post from said outer sides whereby said slanting side is imperforate and free of projection inwardly of said slanting side relative to the inside of said container.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said fastening elements on said sidewalls are bolts and said fastening elements on said post are nuts, said post being formed to provide a longitudinally extending groove in said slanting side, said nuts being received in said groove.

3. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said fastening elements on said sidewalls are bolts and said fastening elements on said post are internally threaded anchors, said post being formed with recesses opening outwardly of said outer sides, each of said recesses extending into said post in intersecting relation with a corresponding bore and adapted to receive an anchor therein.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said recesses are bored holes and said anchors are cylindrical members received in said bored holes and provided with diametrally extending threaded 'holes for receiving said bolts therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,399,042 4/ 1946 Klonaris. 973,144 10/1910 Staples.

3,217,918 11/1965 Phillips 217-69 3,342,364 9/1967 Bingham et al. 217-12 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,282,830 12/1961 France.

3 66,235 1/ 1963 Switzerland.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARZ, Primary Examiner. 

